Stitching For a Cause

Good morning, everyone! I'm so happy to share my finish for a very special cause. This little "Christmas Chick" will be winging its way to sunny Arizona for inclusion in the 12th annual silent auction to benefit breast cancer research sponsored by Attic Needlework. I signed up to stitch an ornament to be auctioned off through Pumpkin Patch and Co. Breast Cancer Fund and if any of you are interested, there is still time to participate. You can email Pumpkin with any questions. This impressive auction netted over $20,000 last year simply by auctioning off stitched creations sent in from around the world... Simply amazing!

If this Valerie Pfeiffer designed chick looks familiar, it's because I also stitched him for myself last year. This time, I used 32 ct. white Jobelan, DMC threads (over 25 colors were used on this tiny piece!), and backed it with the red and white fabric shown in the photo. I hope that by adding the red, twisted cording and little bows he looks even more irresistible and that someone will bid on him!

Last week I also stitched this Trilogy Halloween Spooky Tree ornament for dear Myra for her birthday. I know how much she loves Halloween designs, so when I saw this one it almost commanded me to stitch it and send it to her... What a fun piece to do! I chose a dark gray 32 ct. Barnwood linen and DMC and various overdyed threads along with three yellow buttons for accents. I forgot to photograph the back before I sent it on its way, but I personalized it with a little ghost, the date, and our initials. Myra took a photo of it, so you can check it out on her September 22nd post. I'm so glad you liked it Myra--I loved each moment spent stitching it for you...

I was thrilled to learn that I had won a giveaway from one of my favorite designers: Sandra Sullivan of Homespun Elegance. What a lovely lot of goodies arrived in my mailbox--click on the photo and you can see a truly unique scissor fob, a lovely Christmas card with a needle inside meant to send to a stitching friend, a pretty sampler notepad, and Sandra's "Sweet Little Sewing Basket" which included the basket and a design to stitch a pincushion to display in the basket. I have just started collecting more and more Homespun Elegance designs this year--I'm particularly fond of the "Delivering" series and the yearly ornaments. So, thank you so very, very much, Sandra--I treasure your gifts!

We spent the weekend in a very hot and humid (high 90s!!) Richmond, Virginia visiting my son for Parents Weekend. Our last one ever... I still can't believe that he is a senior and that the past 11 years that we spent as "parents of college students" for our three sons are winding down. It was a bittersweet evening Friday as we watched him play his trombone in what may well be the last time we see him perform live. As he played with the university jazz band during that final song, tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered how far he has come since he first picked up that "bigger than he was" trombone for the first time in 3rd grade. All those memories: those first awkward sounds that didn't resemble music at all, the years of paying for lessons, reminding him to practice, driving him to marching band, watching him conduct the band as drum major in his senior year in high school, hearing about the trips that took him all over the U.S. and abroad--they all came flooding back. It's been an amazing experience and I love how his love of music, from the time he was a tiny baby, has had such a positive impact on not only him, but on our whole family. I truly hope he will continue to play with community groups and jazz bands throughout his life. So thank you, my youngest son, for so many musical memories--you've made us very proud!

I'm woefully behind on my September Block 9 of Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow, but hope to finish it up soon. Thank you all so much for your comments on my Block 8 carolers (the revised "Carol" edition!)--I do think the whole piece is coming together quite nicely now and I can't wait to show you the finish in December... And remember--I'll be posting my giveaway next week to celebrate reaching 200+ followers, so don't forget to look for it!

Thank you all for visiting, and a special thank you to my friends whose comments and emails brighten my days--you mean so much to me! Hope your week is special...